Price hike in Ramadan

The month of fasting for the Muslims will start soon. Prices of essentials have already started escalating in the kitchen markets. Grocery items including onion, garlic, sugar and chickpea, as well as other vegetables are dearer now.

While other Muslim countries of the world take steps in keeping the prices stable at this time, the kitchen markets of our country are manipulated in order to fleece consumers. What is even more shocking is that businesspeople take undue advantages for the whole month of Ramadan. They stock essentials one or two months before Ramadan starts. That leads to the artificial scarcity in the kitchen markets.

I urge relevant ministers and all other stakeholders to take necessary measures to bring stability in the kitchen markets during Ramadan.

Azmira Jahan Rima

Department of Business Administration

Bangladesh University

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